Thomas Cushnahan

Citation

Thesis Title
Hyperspectral imaging of hill country farms

Read article at Massey Research Online:

New Zealand hill country farms are an iconic part of the national landscape often characterised by extreme terrain. Twenty-first-century demands on productivity and environmental stewardship require new ways to measure and monitor the productive and natural landscape. Hyperspectral cameras collect light far beyond human perception and can be aircraft-mounted, enabling data collection over any terrain. Mr Cushnahan studied patterns of light in the images to differentiate important species and landscape features. This work paves the way for farm-scale mapping of pasture area and quality to inform decision- making with variable rate aerial fertiliser technology. Techniques were also developed to map various native species including manuka and kanuka. The research has confirmed the versatility of the technology to help hill country farmers stay productive and sustainable into the future.

Supervisors
Professor Diane Pearson
Associate Professor Thiagarajah Ramilan